Flyers preview RR copy

The Devils travel to the City of Brotherly Love to face the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday night. New Jersey will be wearing their
reverse retro jerseys
for the first time this season.
You can watch on MSGSN or listen on the
Devils Hockey Network
.
For your game preview, pre-game interviews and stories click below!

YOUR GAME-DAY ESSENTIALS

Holtz Philly action

PRE-GAME STORY

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -The Devils did not hold a morning skate at Wells Fargo Center because an NCAA basketball game was held between Villanova and Oklahoma.
Forward Miles Wood is expected to return to the lineup after missing Thursday's game against Nashville. He arrived at the rink and wasn't feeling well that day so the club sent him home.
Bullied
The Flyers have suffered a lot injury-wise this season, particularly losing forwards Cam Atkinson and Sean Couturier and defenseman Ryan Ellis. As such, the talent on the ice has tried to win games the ugly, which structure and physicality.
Though they aren't quite the Broad Street Bullies or yore, the current Flyers edition does lead the league in fights with 17, led by Nicolas Deslaurier's NHL-most seven.
"We have to focus on our game. We can't do anything about their game," head coach Lindy Ruff said. "They're going to play how they're going to play. We have to handle how they play and they'll have to handle how we play. I want our team to focus on what makes us hard to play against."
"They're a tough team," Wood said. "They play hard. They're a big team. They finish all their checks. We'll be prepared for that."
Start Me Up
The Devils found themselves trailing 2-0 in the last two games: NY Rangers and Nashville. Though they managed to come back and go 1-0-1 in the two contests, spotting teams a deuce is not something the Devils want to make a habit.
"We talked about our starts in the past," Wood said. "It's something we have to keep on harping on. We were 2-0 against the Rangers quick and 2-0 against Nashville quick. That can't happen. We talked a lot about that today.
"Now we're starting to get the message. These last two games, frustration has set in being down early in the game. It comes from within the room. The coaches can harp on it and stuff like that. At the end of the day the players have got to execute it and want to improve on it."
Turn it Up to 11
The Devils opened the season at Philadelphia Oct. 13, suffering a 5-2 setback. But since that game, New Jersey has won 10 straight road contests, going for 11 tonight and getting a little revenge from the previous loss.
"When you look at some of the plays we gave up in that game, our puck management was loose," Ruff said. "I mentioned in the preseason our puck management was pretty good. That first game it got away from us a little bit. We know they're a desperate team. It's going to be a hard game for us. Their goaltender has played really well. It's going to be a difficult game going into that building."

PREVIEW

DEVILS (19-4-1) vs FLYERS (8-11-5)
TV:Televised at 7 p.m. ET; MSGSN
RADIO: Live at 7 p.m. ET; Devils Hockey Network
Head-to-Head:
The Devils and Flyers meet for the second time this season, and second time in Philadelphia. The previous meeting marked the season opener for both squads.
The Flyers earned a 5-2 victory in that contest. Alexander Holtz scored his first-career NHL goal in the game. Travis Konecny and Morgan Frost each scored two goals for Philly.
Devils Team Scope:
The Devils are coming off their first overtime loss of the season Thursday night, 4-3, to the Nashville Predators. Still, New Jersey is 16-1-1 in its past 18 games and ranks first in the National Hockey League with 39 points.
Jack Hughes has a current four-game point streak (5g-2a). He also recorded his 10th multi-point game (two assists) and 20th career multi-point game against Nashville. Hughes leads the team with 12 goals and 28 points. Jesper Bratt has a team-best 18 assists to go with 27 points. Captain Nico Hischier has 10 goals and 26 points.
Forward Miles Wood, who missed Thursday's game due to illness, returned to practice Friday.
Flyers Team Scope:
The Flyers have only won one game in their last 12 games (1-7-4), including a 4-1 setback to the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night.
Forward Kevin Hayes leads the club in goals (8), assists (16) and points (24). He's followed by Travis Konecny (8g-12a-20pts). In goal, Carter Hart has played remarkably despite difficult circumstances. The goaltender is 7-6-4 with a 2.81 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
Injuries have decimated the Flyers this season, to key players such as Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier, James van Riemsdyk and Ryan Ellis. Atkinson, Couturier and Ellis haven't played a game yet this season.
By The Numbers:
Devils forward Jack Hughes has 20 career multi-point games, tying Scott Gomez for second most by a Devils skater before the age of 22. Only Kirk Muller (33) had more.
The Flyers rank second in the NHL with 433 blocked shots and 729 hits.
Injuries
Devils
Bastian (upper-body)
Blackwood (MCL sprain, IR)
Bernier (hip, LTIR)
Wood (illness)
Flyers
Allison (oblique muscle strain, IR)
Atkinson (upper-body)
Couturier (back, IR)
DeAngelo (lower-body)
Ellis (groin/hip/back, IR)
Van Riemsdyk (upper-body, IR)